The present invention relates to lights for boats and more particularly to a combination running light and spot light device for boats.
All boats, by law, must have running lights at the bow with a green light to starboard and a red light to port if the boat is to be operated after daylight. It is typical with smaller boats that the running light is positioned on top of the gunwale at the bow to project above the gunwale and is affixed thereto by fasteners so that it cannot be readily removed. These fixed running lights projecting above the gunwale can interfere with other equipment on the boat and present an obstruction to the people in the boat. For example, in ski boats the projecting running light can be an obstacle to the people in the boat. Also, for example, some fishing boats, commonly called bass boats, often have a chair located at the bow and the projecting light can present an obstacle to the chair or fisherman seated in the chair. Fishing boats also typically use a small trolling motor usually attached to the gunwale of tee boat at the bow so that it can be operated by the fisherman seated next to the bow of the boat to provide for quick directional response of the boat at low trolling speeds. The projecting running light at the bow can interfere with the manipulation of the trolling motor and be an obstacle to the fisherman steering the trolling motor. In addition, the trolling motor can block the light beams from the running light making the light beams impossible to be seen from other boats. Still further, boats such as ski boats and bass boats have low gunwales which make the conventional running light low to the water. This low position of the running light can make it difficult to see at night particularly when the waves may themselves be running high.
In addition, it is desirable to have a spot light on a boat during night operations. It is usual in small boats, particularly those small boats which are essentially all open without a deck such as fishing boats, to use a hand-held spot light. A problem with hand-held spot lights is that they can easily be dropped overboard and lost, and they are also difficult to hold steady. Even with boats having a deck with the spot light affixed to the boat deck, the spot light can also present an obstacle to people on the boat.
The present invention recognizes these drawbacks and provides a solution which eliminates or reduces the consequences thereof.